Did you know that you can make your drives much more pleasant by adding a layer of insulation material in your vehicle, reducing the noises you hear in the cabin? Moreover, the right car insulation material can make your car feel cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter by retaining the interior air and keeping the exterior air out. The best thing of all? It doesn’t have to cost a fortune.
Installing insulation materials can be very simple, yet complicated at the same time. The complicated part is choosing the right product. With so many products available online, it’s hard to drown out all the noise and find reliable products. Once you read this article, though, you’ll know which are the best car insulation material brands, and how to successfully install their products.
3 Simple Steps to Installing Insulation Material
Step 1
In order to install insulation material, you’ll need access to the metal surface of your vehicle, meaning you’ll have to remove the upholstery. If you’ve never done this, a simple Google or YouTube search will show what exactly you need to do to remove the upholstery in your specific vehicle and make. Once removed, make sure there are no waxy oils, debris or rust. Use denatured alcohol to do so.
Step 2
Once you’ve cleaned the surface, it’s time to cut the insulation material to the right size. For smaller surfaces, it’s easier to measure the dimensions and then cut to the fit.
Step 3
Last but not least, peel the protective layer and apply the material to the surface area from top to bottom using existing holes to help you with the alignment. A hand roller can ensure there are no air pockets and that adhesiveness is ensured.
Tools You’ll Need to Apply the Insulation Material
In order to apply the insulation material easily and properly, you’ll need a rag and denatured alcohol. Pour some alcohol on the rag and use the rag to clean the metal surface areas where you’ll install the insulation material. Use gloves to protect your hands throughout the process. While there isn’t anything particular to be afraid of, it will ensure your hands are free of alcohol and sticky adhesives.
As aforementioned, you can also use a hand roller to apply the insulation material and ensure there are no air pockets. You can find a hand roller in your local hardware store or online. There are wooden and rubber hand rollers used for this purpose. Last but not least, you’ll need a sharp utility knife to cut the insulation material into shape.
Where to Apply Insulation Material?
As you can tell, insulation materials are applied on metal surfaces. This is to reduce the vibrations coming from the metal sheets as you drive, hitting bumps along the way. The most common areas needing insulation are the door panels, the floor and the roof. You can also add insulation material to your boot and firewall.
Best Insulation Material Brands
Car Builders
Car Builders is a vibration-dampening mat consisting of a butyl rubber noise absorption layer combined with a top layer made of aluminium. It doesn’t require any heating, doesn’t brittle and doesn’t smell. The butyl rubber is pressure-sensitive, making it super-sticky, and thus, eliminating the chances of the adhesive falling off. All of these properties make it easy to install, 100% waterproof, rot-and deterioration-free, reduces heat transfer, and fuses easily to all types of sheet materials.
FatMat
This insulation material is very affordable yet provides great results. While it takes a bit more effort to apply than the Car Builders mat, it’s very effective at dampening noise. One roll of FatMat is enough to cover the entire car at a decent price. It conforms to the shape of your doors, floor or roof, leaving no crevices for sound to get through. It’s flexible, yet thick enough to dampen outside noises. Moreover, you can layer it, but that’s not always necessary. The only notable downside is the sharp aluminium coating, which might cut you when working with it.
Dynamat
Dymanat is one brand you’ll constantly come across when looking for any type of car insulation. Even though they’re considered one of the best, the main reason I didn’t list them first is that their sound-dampening mats come in sets of fewer than 9. As a result, you might have to buy two sets, making them considerably more expensive and inconvenient. On the plus side, however, they’re the ideal choice for those who aren’t keen on measuring and cutting their own material. Their mats will dampen vibrations and reduce noise wherever you set them.
Conclusion
Sound insulation materials are an affordable way to reduce noise and improve driving comfort. There are thousands of different brands, but the aforementioned three are considered the best, for obvious reasons – they provide an easy way to effectively reduce vibration noise and improve thermal insulation. All you need are a few basic tools to install any insulation material in three steps.
